Chessie System (Railroad) Diesel Locomotive Roster

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Diesel Locomotive Roster for the Chessie System

The Chessie System, a holding company that existed from 1973 to 1987, did not own any locomotives or rolling stock directly. Instead, all equipment was the property of one of its three main railroad subsidiaries: the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), and the Western Maryland Railway (WM). 

Paint and numbering

All three railroads shared a standardized, high-visibility paint scheme. 

  • Colors: Yellow, vermillion (a reddish-orange), and dark blue.
  • Logo: The “Chess-C” emblem, which featured the silhouette of Chessie the kitten, was painted on the front and flanks of locomotives and rolling stock.
  • Reporting marks: Though painted in the unified scheme, each locomotive retained its original reporting marks (C&O, B&O, or WM) to denote ownership.
  • Numbering: While a coordinated numbering system was often used for new purchases, locomotives retained their parent company’s identity. For example, a new GP40-2 delivered to the B&O was numbered in a B&O-specific series. 

Electro-Motive Division (EMD)

  • NW2: ~150 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O, B&O, and WM.
    • Comments: A significant fleet of these early switchers were used in yard and industrial service across the system.
  • SW7/SW9: >100 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O, B&O, and WM.
    • Comments: This included a large fleet of SW7s and SW9s from the C&O.
  • GP7/GP9: >600 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O, B&O, and WM.
    • Comments: The most numerous road switcher on the roster, comprising a huge fleet of first-generation “Geeps”.
  • SD7/SD9: ~20 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: B&O.
    • Comments: Older, six-axle units used for heavy hauling, retired during the Chessie era.
  • SD18: 30 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: A small fleet of six-axle units.
  • GP30/GP35: ~140 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O, B&O, and WM.
    • Comments: A large fleet of reliable second-generation road switchers.
  • SD35: 23 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: A fleet of heavy-haul, six-axle units.
  • SD40: >100 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O and B&O.
    • Comments: A backbone of the heavy freight fleet during the 1970s.
  • GP38/GP38AC/GP38-2: >200 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O and B&O.
    • Purchased by: B&O and C&O (during the Chessie era).
    • Comments: A massive fleet of reliable second-generation power, with many GP38-2s purchased new for the Chessie system.
  • GP40/GP40-2: >200 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O and B&O.
    • Purchased by: B&O and C&O (during the Chessie era).
    • Comments: The high-horsepower standard for the Chessie system, used on priority freight and manifest trains. Many GP40-2s were purchased new.
  • BL2: 10 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O and WM.
    • Comments: A distinctive and rare road switcher model.
  • E7/E8: >50 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O and B&O.
    • Comments: Older passenger locomotives, primarily used in maintenance-of-way service during the Chessie era.
  • F7: ~25 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O, B&O, and WM.
    • Comments: Used mostly in maintenance-of-way service during the Chessie era.
  • SD50: 81 locomotives.
    • Purchased by: B&O and C&O (during the Chessie era).
    • Comments: High-horsepower, six-axle units acquired in the mid-1980s. 

General Electric (GE)

  • U23B: 30 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: Part of the first generation of GE “U-boats”.
  • U25B: 38 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: Another early GE road switcher.
  • U30B/U30C: 48 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: Powerful U-boats used for heavy freight.
  • B30-7: 64 locomotives.
    • Purchased by: C&O (during the Chessie era).
    • Comments: A significant order of new four-axle units for the Chessie System.
  • 44-tonner: ~20 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: WM and C&O.
    • Comments: Light-duty switchers used for small yard and industrial duties. 

American Locomotive Company (ALCO)

  • S-2/S-4: >70 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O and WM.
    • Comments: Older switchers used in yard service, many of which were rebuilt into slugs.
  • RS-3: ~10 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: WM and C&O.
    • Comments: An early, versatile road switcher.
  • RSD-12/RSD-15: ~22 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: Six-axle road switchers.
  • C425: 14 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: WM.
    • Comments: A small fleet of ALCO road switchers.
  • C630: 4 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: Powerful six-axle units, a late ALCO model. 

Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW)

  • DS-4-4-1000: ~5 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: B&O.
    • Comments: Switchers acquired from a variety of predecessor roads.
  • DRS-6-6-1500: 3 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: Road switchers with three-axle trucks.
  • AS-616: 43 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: C&O.
    • Comments: Powerful road switchers.
  • VO-1000: ~2 locomotives.
    • Inherited from: WM.
    • Comments: Early switchers.
  • Slugs: ~10 units.
    • Rebuilt from: Retired ALCO and Baldwin units by C&O shops.
    • Comments: Cabless booster units used in heavy yard and local service. 

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

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